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The Voortrekkers played a significant role in expanding South Africa to its current size. The Voortrekker Monument has become one of South Africa's most controversial landmarks. Built between 1937 and 1949, this structure, measuring 40 meters in height, length, and width, was designed by Gerard Moerdijk, an architect fascinated by the mystique of the Egyptian pyramids.
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| The Voortrekker Monument is built entirely of sandstone. |
The monument is surrounded by a carved stone wall featuring 64 wagons in a traditional defensive formation: a circle. The structure is like a massive block of stone, each corner bearing the face of a great Afrikan hero. Inside is a vast space with a high vaulted ceiling and marble reliefs recounting the journey of the Dutch who pioneered this land.
This structure has a hole in its roof, strategically placed so that at exactly 12 noon on December 16th each year, sunlight shines directly from the top to the bottom of the tower. Where the sunlight falls, there is a large granite slab with the inscription "Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika" (We dedicate ourselves to You, Suid-Afrika). "Voortrekker" means "pioneers" in Afrikaans (a South African language, built upon the Dutch language). And December 16th is the day the Dutch swore an oath to fight to the death against the Zulus (South African indigenous people) to enter a bloody battle for survival, with over 500 "voortrekkers" crammed into 64 metal horse-drawn carts, attacking head-on with guns...
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| The inscription reads "Ons vir Jou, Suid-Afrika" - We dedicate ourselves to you - South Africa. |
Inside the memorial, the four walls of the ground floor of the tower are adorned with stone reliefs depicting the story of the pioneers, the war with the British, the agreements and betrayals of the Zulus tribal leaders against Retief, one of the white leaders, the Battle of 64 Chariots, and how the Zulus subsequently submitted. Upon coming to power, the African National Congress (ANC) was keen to demolish the monument because, for white people, it was a testament to historical victory, while for Black people, it was evidence of defeat.
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| The relief inside the monument depicts the Zulus chieftain signing a treaty with Retief, a leader of the white pioneers. |
The monument has been preserved to this day thanks to the intervention of President Nelson Mandela. Located just a 15-minute drive from the center of Pretoria, it has become a popular tourist attraction for those exploring the history, country, and people of South Africa. Today, the monument is considered a powerful symbol of the "white tribe of Africa" and the expansion of South Africa by the Dutch "voortrekker." Furthermore, an elevator and staircase leading to the top of the monument offer visitors a stunning panoramic view of Pretoria.
